Police monitor and PANO ask to join NOPD consent decree process

New Orleans' police monitor and the Police Association of New Orleans yesterday asked to be included in the federal court case that will govern how the NOPD's proposed consent decree is implemented. That makes a total of four organizations that asked for seats at the table this week as the city tries to put into action the laundry list of proposed reforms for the troubled police department.

The consent decree, which must be approved by U.S. District Court Judge Susie Morgan, was worked out over more than a year by city officials and the U.S. Department of Justice.

An attorney for Police Monitor Susan Hutson wrote in a federal court filing that the consent decree imposes new burdens on her office, even though the monitor was cut out of the negotiations that led to the document. The proposed decree also creates new rules for investigating the use of force by New Orleans police officers, but ignores the monitor's role in watching over these internal probes, attorney John Williams wrote.

The police monitor's office was created in 2008, the product of years of frustration about the lack of civilian oversight over the NOPD. But the office has struggled to find a firm footing. In particular, Hutson has told the City Council she needs more money to be able to complete the wide array of work mandated under the city ordinance creating the office. At the same time, Hutson has emphasized that her office wants broader authority to conduct investigations.

An advocacy organization, Community United for Change, indicated in its motion to enter the case earlier this week that they, too, want to see civilian investigations of police misconduct.

PANO is the second police organization to ask the judge to represent officers as the decree moves forward. The Fraternal Order of Police filed a similar motion earlier this week.

In his motion, PANO attorney Eric Hessler wrote that the group is needed to be part of the process to make sure that officers on the ground have a voice in the process.

Attorneys for both the city and federal government are clearly also working on the next step for the consent decree: the hiring of a monitoring team. These monitoring teams typically number at least several people and collect detailed information to ensure departments comply with the consent decree mandates. Morgan held a status conference today with attorneys, telling them that she will need to approve any "requests for proposals" that the city will issue to solicit bids.